Anything You can Do I can Do Better
by Firestorm Nauralagos
Summary: Co-written with BuBuWinter. Cousins Alex Firesong and Heat Shadowsword have been rivals almost since the day they met- but when a new evil arises, they'll have to put aside their differences and work together ... The rating might change eventually.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **_

_F: Like the summary says, this is a co-op between me (Firestorm Nauralagos) and BuBuWinter. :) _

_**B: Well hi there. :D Yeah, this is a co-op, as said above, and it's going to be epicness. So just read. XD And be sure to enjoy!**_

_F: "Anything You can Do I can Do Better" is told from two different points of view: Alexandra Firesong's and Heat Shadowsword's. I'll be writing Alex's part (obviously) and BuBu will be writing Heat's. :3 Now, as she said, enjoy! xD_

_**B: AND BY THE WAY, Heat is my character told in my story the Lightning Gaze, just so y'all aren't confused XD**_

-_Alexandra Firesong_-

I knew that something serious was up when my adoptive father was at the breakfast table that morning. Malistaire Drake was _not _known for being a morning person; he usually stayed up late, slept through breakfast and had a piece of toast on his way to work. Sylvia was the early bird of the family, and as usual, she was moving through the kitchen, humming to herself as she made chocolate chip pancakes.

Yeah, something was _definitely _up.

"'Morning, Dad," I said slowly, looking around the kitchen. "'Morning, Mom." It had only been a year since my blood father abandoned me in Dragonspyre, but I had already warmed to the Drakes and was soon referring to them as if they were my real parents.

"Good morning, Alex," the Life Professor sangas she flipped the last pancake onto a platter. Her husband gave a small wave of acknowledgement.

"How come _you're _up?" I asked him.

"Alex, Malistaire and I have some interesting news for you," Sylvia began, setting the pancakes on the table and serving me two.

"Mm-hm," the man in question was clearly not fully awake.

"Have you heard about the recent storm in Avalon?" I shrugged.

"There've been lots; which storm?"

"The one that was two days ago," Sylvia prompted.

"Oh, right. That one." I frowned. "That was the really bad storm, wasn't it?" She nodded.

"There weren't many survivors, but three of them- a few girls not much younger than you- made their way here." The news came as a surprise; Avalon was known for its particularly deadly storms; traveling in them was generally considered a suicide mission.

"Well, that's good- that they survived, I mean."

"Yes. Your Uncle Cyrus has agreed to adopt one of them, a girl named Heather Shadowsword- she goes by Heat." I contemplated this news for a moment before replying.

"So … she's like my adopted cousin, then?" I frowned thoughtfully. "I have a real cousin, too … Sebastian, I think. I've never met him. What's Heat like?" Malistaire, surprisingly, was the one who answered this time.

"She's very … polite," he decided. "She was raised in Avalon by fairly high-bred parents, so she's been taught her manners from a very early age. Heat is fairly quiet, from what I've seen of her. Other than that, well, I haven't known her for more than a day, so I can't tell you much." I shrugged.

"Okay. Do I get to meet her?" Sylvia smiled.

"Of course! Cyrus has invited us all over for lunch today to meet her."

"Does this mean I have to dress up?" I complained. My adoptive mother only laughed.

-V-

Unfortunately for me, Professor Cyrus Drake was a stickler for propriety, and so five hours later, I stood beside my adoptive parents on the front stoop of his Shopping District house, wearing an uncomfortable red and gold dress and trying extremely hard not to fidget. (Skirts and I had never gotten along well.) After a few moments, the Myth professor opened the door.

"Cyrus! It's good to see you again," Sylvia exclaimed, hugging him. He looked slightly irritated- but only slightly.

"Hello, Sylvia, Malistaire, Alex." He nodded to each of us in turn. "Please come in." We followed him into his small living room. The first thing I noticed was how _clean _it was. The second thing I noticed was the blonde girl sitting primly on the couch. Her hands were folded in her lap and she was staring down at the floor. "Heat, you remember Sylvia and Malistaire." The girl nodded. "This is their adopted daughter, Alexandra." Heat stood and gave a short curtsy.

"Pleased to meet you, Alexandra," she said quietly, giving me a small smile. I raised an eyebrow.

"Nice to meet you, too, and call me Alex," I said, waving. I wasn't quite sure what to make of this "Heat" yet. I hoped we'd get along well, but I had heard of the famous snobbishness of Avalonians and was still a little wary of her. I could only wait and find out.

-TWO YEARS LATER-

_Congratulations, Alexandra Firesong! You are a Necromancer, a student of the School of Death! _The words had come as a surprise to me; I'd been expecting "Pyromancer," since nearly every Firesong for the past 200 years had been a Pyromancer (give or take a few.)My father (the real one, who had abandoned me not long after my real mother's death) had wanted me to become a Theurgist. Well, as it turned out, I wasn't going to be obeying his wishes. Death was the last School he'd wanted me to be a part of. Malistaire, however, was proud of me, and I was far more worried about impressing _him _than impressing my real dad.

We were just heading towards Ravenwood when my adoptive father noticed Cyrus and Heat walking in the same direction. Heat was, surprisingly, wearing black robes similar to mine … it couldn't be possible, though. The starting age for Ravenwood was 11 years, and Heat was only 9.

"Cyrus!" The Myth professor turned and noticed us. He nodded and waited for us to catch up.

"So, little Alex has entered your School, has she?" He gave a thin, almost forced smile, and I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes. Some things would never change …

"Yes, she has; Heat, you've become a Necromancer as well, I see?" My cousin nodded. I gaped at my adoptive-father-slash-professor.

"How is she already in Ravenwood? She's too young!" I protested.

"Well, not too long ago, the Headmaster was visiting your uncle and cousin, and he sensed immense magical powers in her. He believes that it involves the storm in Avalon, and since her magical abilities are so strong, he decided that she should be allowed to enter Ravenwood a few years early," Malistaire explained. I frowned, giving my cousin a dark glare. It wasn't fair; she was better at _everything- _learning languages, reading and writing, pretty much any pre-magic class- heck, she'd even memorized everything about Ravenwood before I even knew all seven Schools! Now, it seemed, she was trying to show me up in Necromancy, too. I folded my arms. _We'll see about that, Heat Shadowsword. _

-**Heat Shadowsword-**

The glare Alex was giving me was one of pure hatred, but I forced myself to smile as politely as I could. I didn't _want _to be on her bad side, but it was her opinion of me, and I wasn't going to be able to change that. Malistaire seemed to have noticed the dark glare his daughter was giving me because he was looking down on her in a mixture of disappointment and anger.

"Alex, you should respect your cousin and be proud she's achieved so much." The words that left his lips made me wince, and I forced myself to look at the ground. I always thought it was unfair that I'd be permitted into the school at such a young age, but Cyrus had persisted, and I couldn't do anything but agree with him. Besides, Alex had some hidden talents herself, or at least I guessed she did.

My cousin scowled and didn't respond, just fixed me the same hate-filled glare. Cyrus and Malistaire looked at each other, both frowning, and all I could do was assume they were speaking to each other in _chuchoters. _I shifted uncomfortably before finally deciding to break the silence.

"What's your secondary school, Alex?" My cousin didn't respond for a long while, and my smile dropped. Couldn't she at least act a _bit _kinder? It was only when Malistaire nudged her that she responded.

"Thaumaturgy." She muttered, her voice barely audible. The anger in her eyes was beginning to fade away, but the hate was still there, clear as daylight. "You?"

"Sorcery." I forced myself to smile again, allowing my feelings of pride to bubble over. I had aimed for Sorcery to be my main school, but secondary was just as good. Apparently I let my pride shine through more than I should've; anger had returned to Alex's eyes. I shifted uncomfortably and looked up at my adoptive father. He was oblivious to her anger.

"Heat has done much the past couple of years." Cyrus explained to his brother, his voice cool. "She's participated in a three year ballet class and graduated from pre-magic school at the top of her class." It was always hard to detect pride in Cyrus's voice, but I contented myself with simply believing it was hidden somewhere in his tone and smiled. Alex muttered something under her breath and looked away.

"What was that Alex?" Malistaire averted his gaze to his daughter. The girl in question glared up at him.

"It's just unfair…" Her voice trailed off as she turned her head away. Malistaire frowned and didn't respond. Instead he returned to address his brother.

"We had best be going home now. I want to make sure Alex has all her necessary supplies for the coming school years." Cyrus nodded and together the two Necromancers turned and walked away. My father waited until they were out of sight before making his way towards the Shopping District, his pace as brisk as usual. I jogged to catch up with him and soon we were standing in front of our house. Cyrus glanced down at me.

"How about we stay out for a bit longer?" He asked. The question came as a surprise. Cyrus was never one to stay outside more than necessary, preferring to stay indoors with a book in his hands. I nodded dumbly and he made his way over to the fountain and settling down, sighing. I walked over and took a seat beside him. The sound of the water was soothing to my ears and I closed my eyes, enjoying the silence.

"Heat," Cyrus's voice snapped my eyes open, and I turned to look at him. "What do you think of your cousin?"

"I like her." I shrugged. 'Like' was just one of those words that could be taken in a number of ways, and Cyrus knew that all too well.

"You _like _her, or you _want _to like her?" He questioned, his dark blue eyes boring into me. I didn't respond, not sure what to say. Alex was aggressive and obviously had no liking for me, and I knew nothing else about her. I frowned and fiddled around with the ribbon in my hair.

"I guess I _want_ to like her, but…"

"Her hating you makes it difficult to." I shrugged as Cyrus correctly guessed what I was about to say. I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. His touch comforted me a little, but not much.

"A lot of people aren't going to like you Heat, most because you're so young yet so advanced. Don't take it personally; they'll get used to it over time." His voice was still as hard as usual, and I knew he was simply stating the truth. I sighed once again and nodded. He gently pushed me out of my seat. "Go to bed; school starts early in the morning and I want you to be prepared."

"Alright," I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "Goodnight Cyrus."

"Goodnight." After hearing his response I turned away and walked back to the house, taking a deep breath.

_School's important, so I'll do my best even if Alex hates me for it. _


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: B - Well hey thereee ^^ So, me and thy lovely Firestorm have decided to alternate between chapters. I'll be doing the even ones, and Firestorm le odd ones. That's how it'll be for the most part at least. We might just sorta merge up on some chapters like we did with chap 1 xD Now, should we reply to some reviews, and is there anything you'd like to add Firestorm? :3 **

_**F: Why, yes. Yes there is x) Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and here are le responses:**_

_**NightSkyWolves: ***_**evil laughter* It's actually a fairly dangerous mix, me and Firestorm, as we are both mad geniuses of darkness… x) **_**Indeed. xD **_**Thank you for saying we're among your favorites though :) And your continued support is mucho appreciated! :D **

_**Ammaarah01: **_**Thank you! :) **

_**Lewascan2: **_**Good thing you read Firestorm's AN; our awkward title capitalization would probably turn anyone away xP Anyways, thank you for the praiseful-ness :3 **

**Well, that's bout it. ENJOY! :D **

**-Heat Shadowsword-**

The next morning Cyrus had gotten me up early to prepare for school. He came in at the break of dawn, laid out my Novice's clothes on the chair, placed my wand on the desk and left. Simple as that. I was sort of used to it though; he'd done the same exact thing in pre-magic school. This time, though, I heard a soft sizzling and the strong scent of bacon hung in the air. _He's actually making breakfast! _Knowing this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing I quickly got dressed and grabbed my wand before running downstairs towards the kitchen, the smell of the bacon becoming stronger and more delectable with every step.

My adoptive father was in the kitchen, bacon sizzling in one pan and pancakes in another. Even though it was extremely odd seeing him behind the stove with a spatula in hand and an apron on, I couldn't help but smile. He had _never _made breakfast for me before. If anything it was _me _making _him _something to eat before he left for work. Cyrus glanced over and gave me a small smile. _The first day of school's really that important, huh?_

"Good morning, Heat." He greeted, his tone much lighter than usual.

"Good morning, Cyrus." I smiled as I returned his greeting. Waking up to a happy Cyrus was almost too good to be true. For a moment I contemplated on whether or not this was all just a dream, that a cooking-Cyrus was just part of my imagination, but I knew that wasn't the case. This was all real. I never remembered my dreams anyways, not unless they were nightmares. I shivered and shoved the thought away. Cyrus was in a good mood for once, and I wasn't about to let a couple of old nightmares ruin it for me.

He handed me a plate, and I relaxed as I realized I had to serve myself. Cyrus might've been kind enough to make breakfast for me on my first day attending Ravenwood, but he'd never serve me. I grabbed a fork and plopped two well-sized blueberry pancakes on my plate, took three pieces of bacon (which looked absolutely _scrumptious_) and got myself a glass of juice. I sat myself at the table with a content sigh. Today was going to be a good day. A few moments later Cyrus seated himself in front of me.

"Are you excited for your first day?" He asked, taking a small bite of bacon. I nodded.

"I'm gonna leave a bit earlier than I planned. Rosie wants to see when I have my classes so she can meet up with me during passing period and lunch." Cyrus raised an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised Ambrose is even letting her into the school. She's the biggest troublemaker I've ever seen; I hope she's not taking any of _my _classes." I chuckled and finished off my last piece of bacon (the other two I had scarfed down when he wasn't looking). Cyrus hated my best friend and whenever we wanted to stay the night together it was always at her house, never his.

"I don't think she is. Her main school is Divination, and unless she wanted to make your life miserable she wouldn't be taking Conjuration. She says there's too much reading involved, and Ivan freaks her out."

"Poor Halston," Cyrus muttered. "I don't think he's gonna have the best round of students this year." I smirked and didn't respond, finishing up my breakfast and placing my plate on the counter. As I washed my hands I glanced over at the clock. School started at seven, so it would be another full hour until I actually had to get to class. Cyrus glanced at me. "You're welcome to help me finish setting up my class if you have nothing better to do."

"Alright; Rosie isn't meeting me until it's 6:30 anyways." I shrugged. Helping him set up class often involved lining history books in alphabetical order - which was incredibly _boring_ - but it was better than sitting around waiting for Rosie to wake up. I grabbed my wand and began to head out, only to be stopped by Cyrus's hand resting on my shoulder. I glanced up at him, surprised. He looked at me through the corner of his eye.

"Do something about that hair."

-H-

After brushing my hair out and pulling it up with my favorite blue ribbon Cyrus and I made our way over to the Myth school, where I was left sorting through history books of varying size and putting them on different shelves depending on their ranking number and class, all of which had to be in alphabetical order. A very slow, boring half hour passed, and after placing the final book on the shelf I told him I was going out to meet Rosie. He nodded in acknowledgement and I walked out of the classroom.

I would probably never get over the beauty of Ravenwood. Bartleby towered over everything like a rooted guardian and the grass was a beautiful shade of emerald green, not to mention all the school trees were mystifying and beautiful. A warm breeze gently blew across my face, and I breathed in the fresh air. The always-warm air of Wizard City was a nice change from the cold, storm-ridden place of Avalon.

I slowly made my way down the path toward the Commons, admiring the beauty and taking my time to enjoy the fresh air. Arthur, who was unpacking a few things from his suitcases, saw me and waved a friendly hello.

"I hear you're going to be one of my students this year!" He called, a warm smile planted on his face. I smiled and nodded.

"Yes sir. Sorcery is my secondary school."

"Shame it's not your main. I've heard a lot of good things about you. Well, until I see you in class, cheerio!"

I waved a short goodbye and turned, only to bump into something. I flinched and took a few steps back to see my Necromancy professor and uncle Malistaire. Alex was at his side, glaring at me.

"Sorry, professor!" I squeaked in surprise, standing up straighter. "I didn't see you there!" My uncle slash professor just gave me a small smile.

"It'd be best for you to watch where you step, young Heat." He told me, nodding politely and moving on past me toward the Death school. Alex stayed there for a moment, glaring at me with steely gray eyes, before finally looking away and following her father. I realized I had been holding my breath and let out a long, deep sigh. I was sure that the girls glare wasn't nearly as intimidating as mine, but everything else about her was; _anyone _who grew up in Dragonspyre was scarier than me. I only assumed something bad had happened to her, or she was naturally like that, and shoved any remaining thoughts of her aside. Thinking about Alex wasn't going to change the fact she hated me.

I walked through the tunnel to the Commons and immediately spotted Rosie. My red-headed friend, who was garbed in dark purple and yellow Novice robes, was leaning against the lamppost, looking half-asleep. I called to her, and her aqua blue eyes shot open in surprise. She surged forward a bit, rubbed her eyes, and looked over at me, visibly relaxing.

"Don't scare me like that!" She snapped, running over to meet me. She was a good few inches taller than me, and while I still had a few years to catch up in height, I doubted I'd ever be as tall as her. She was _always _taller than me. Rosie cocked her head curiously. "What's wrong? Ya look like you've seen a ghost! Necromancy already scaring you?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, I don't think death - or at least Necromancy - is scary at all. I ran into Malistaire and Alex. I don't think she likes me very much." To my surprise, Rosie only let out a little chuckle.

"Alex doesn't like _anybody _Heat." She commented, eyes twinkling mischievously. I didn't believe it. Sure, Alex was a bit disagreeable and aggressive, but she wasn't that bad, was she? I frowned and shook my head before changing the subject.

"I know Divination is your main school. What did you pick for secondary?"

"Life." Rosie shrugged. "Figured it'd be good. Rumor has it that natural Diviners are pretty defenseless, at least to a certain extent. Better to be safe than sorry, right? What'd you pick?"

"I picked Sorcery." I was still proud of my pre-magic school success and how I was permitted to join Sorcery, one of the toughest schools there is next to studying Astral magic. Rosie snorted.

"Didn't you want it for your main?"

"Yeah but I was chosen to go into Necromancy, which is fine. At least I can spend more time with my...'uncle'."

"Yeah, huh?" Rosie sniggered, her grin widening. "Get on his good side early on and you'll be the toughest Necromancer in the school. Watch out for Alex though; she'll probably be your biggest rival."

"Rival…?"

"Yeah, almost every wizard has their own personal rival, be it a friend or someone you absolutely _hate!" _I had never thought about that before, but now that Rosie had gotten it into my mind I realized she was right. Nearly every wizard had their own group of friends they went on journeys with, a rival to compete with, and some even had their own personal enemy. I forced back a shiver. The life of a wizard was tougher than I thought. Rosie waved a hand, and shaking my head to rid any remaining thoughts I followed her to the lamppost. "So, when're your classes?"

"Well…" I pulled out my half-sheet of paper. "Obviously I have Necromancy first, which starts at 7:00, then I have a one hour breakfast and then it's Sorcery."

"Ew, you got the morning classes?" Rosie wrinkled her nose in distaste. " I got the afternoon ones. Any other extra classes you're taking? Any third school or something?"

"I'm taking a Pre-Astral class, but other than that no. I have it when you have Divination if you've got the afternoon classes." Rosie nodded, pulling out her schedule and scanning over it. "What about you? Are you taking anything else besides Theurgy?"

"Not this year, but I'm gonna start practicing at the Arena. Practice means perfect after all." My best friend winked and stuck her tongue out. We both let out a chuckle. Rosie had always wanted to become a member of the Arena. We spent our weekends watching older wizards compete there, and Rosie would always whip out her notebook and take notes. Sometimes she'd even approach the winners and ask for tips. That was another one of our biggest differences. She loved to fight, but I didn't.

-H-

After I left Rosie to do whatever she was planning I made my way over to my first class. It was still ten minutes early, but there were already some students there. Two guys were sitting in the corner by a blackboard that had "Professor Malistaire" written on it, muttering quietly together, and other, less-social students dotted the rest of the room, each one keeping to themselves with wary glances. Alex was sitting alone close to the front, talking quietly with her father. For a moment I thought about taking a seat next to her since there weren't any empty ones, but Malistaire cast me a warning glance, and I knew he was telling me it would be a bad idea. I frowned. _None _of these kids looked to be the "friendly" type. Then again, it was Necromancy.

"Hey, you can come sit beside me if you'd like." Surprised, I glanced around the room, spotting a young boy with long black hair waving to me, a smile on his face. I smiled and politely took the seat beside him closest to the wall.

"Hi, my name's Malorn." He held out his hand, his smile broadening as I shook it.

"Hi there Malorn. My name's Heather, but everyone just calls me Heat."

"Nice to meet you, Heat. I think I've heard about you before. Lemme think…" Malorn leaned back in his chair, his hand stroking an imaginary beard as he thought, making me chuckle slightly. "You're one of the girls they saved from the storm a few years back, right? The one Cyrus adopted?" I nodded. "Wow. You're starting school a bit young, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but Cyrus insisted that I move out of pre-magic school and get into Ravenwood. Ambrose just so happened to agree with him." I shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed. People were going to notice the age difference, that was for certain. I thought Malorn would've had the same jealousy as Alex did, but his smile was still in place and there was a friendly glint in his eyes.

"You're _so_ lucky to be on Cyrus's good side! You have no idea how many kids have tried to accomplish that. You get all the perks when the meanest teacher in the whole Spiral actually _likes _you."

I opened my mouth to respond, ready to defend my adoptive father - he wasn't _that _mean - but the sound of the final bell rang before I could. Malorn and I exchanged a glance, and the class grew eerily silent. Malistaire stood up from behind his desk, his arms folded behind his back as he addressed the class.

"Greetings, students." He began, his voice cool. "You have all been chosen to join the Death School, preferably known as Necromancy. As Novices, it is alright to feel scared by what many deem to be the darkest of all magics, but remember that you were chosen to be a part of this school. There has to be some type of redeeming quality about you that put you here." He paused and glanced around the room, as if examining us. "It's not so much you have to be aggressive or depressing to get into this school, but rather have a courage most people do not possess; the courage to face death without fear. Necromancy is the most solitary of schools..."

He continued on to describe Necromancy and how the first year will go, and throughout his speech I couldn't help but notice how much Cyrus and Malistaire were alike. _I guess that's just how twins are. _After about fifteen minutes or so his introduction to Necromancy ended, and he pulled out a small leather-bound book, beginning to call out names. I took the liberty to remember all of them, some standing out more than most. Malorn Ashthorn and Duncan Grimwater were apparently step brothers. Malistaire had asked how their dad was, who was apparently the author of most of the required Necromancy books. Alura Nightspear was the only student in the class who had Necromancy for her secondary school, Pyromancy being her main. I briefly remembered her being the strongest and most magically-adept student in pre-magic school, and how the only reason I was at the top of the class instead of her was because she wasn't fond of group projects and failed to participate in them. Then, of course, there was Alex. Her full name was Alexandra Firesong, and while I knew she had been adopted I was surprised to hear her name hadn't been legally changed to "Drake". Then again, my name was probably never going to change no matter how much I considered myself a part of the family.

"Now, as I said before Necromancy is more solitary than all the schools, but the life of a wizard is a dangerous one. It might just be simple studying for now, but when you're older you'll face your own challenges and understand what being a wizard is about. You will have to work with others in order to reach many of your goals no matter how much you may dislike the person you're working with. The first rule all wizards must learn is to never separate from your group during a quest. Many quests will be dangerous and deadly, especially to a lone wizard. For that reason, you will be assigned a partner for the duration of the year. If you are already seated next to someone, then that person will be your partner. As for the rest, mingle about for about five minutes. If one of you does not have a partner by then, I will assign one to you."

Malorn and I exchanged a glance, relief and excitement surging through us. I was glad I decided to sit next to him. He was both funny and kind, and that's always better than being paired with someone like Alura Nightspear. I thought the year would go by just fine, but then I remembered Alex and her hate towards me.

_Well, if I do my best to avoid her, then nothing should happen between us. At least, I hope not._


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **__Firestorm__**: **__Hey guys! So, I was planning to have this done a few days ago, but I kinda possibly might potentially slacked off a little and maybe forgot about it? o:3 _

_**Bubu: Don't worry Firestorm, you and I are both slackers x3 Anyways, thank you all for the reviews! And now le responses!**_

_**Review Replies:**_

_**Lewascan2: I don't know…. is it romance you see, a friendly rivalry, a good friendship, or a future enemy? The world may never know..nice pun by the way ;P**_

_**Ammaarah01: :3 Alex no likey Heat x3 And thank you! I shall gratefully take the cake and share it with thee lovely Firestorm cause she's amazingicles. **_

_**DawnShadowQueen: Conflict is inevitable to be sure XD No story is good without a hint of thee old hate/jealousy relationship.**_

_**NightSkyWolves: Thank you! (this is from both of us XD) I'm trying to make him more in character now. If you've read Lightning Gaze's rewrites, you'd see he's more grumpy than what I previously made him x3 A thirty thousand gold sounds nice…. x) **_

_**Bloodanddarkroses: **__Once again I must comment on the awesomeness of your pen name :P We don't really have an updating schedule, since there are two of us writing and we have pretty crazy schedules; sorry! O_o _

_**ENJOY!**_

_-Alexandra Firesong-_

On our way to class the next morning, Malistaire and I didn't discuss Heat at all, which I was grateful for. I didn't feel like _thinking _about my "I'm so much better than you" cousin, much less talking about her. Malistaire made a surprised sound, and I glanced over at him. He'd just run into the very person I was trying not to think about. I frowned sourly, giving her an irritated look.

"Very sorry, Professor," she said to my dad, instantly straightening up after taking a step back. "I didn't see you there." Heat graced me with the shortest of glances before returning her attention to Malistaire. I scowled as my father smiled at her.

"I suggest you watch where you're going, young Heat," he suggested, stepping around her and pulling on my sleeve. I clenched my fists and followed after him, attempting to banish my violent thoughts. If only she wasn't so … so … well, so perfect! Heat was my cousin and I wished I could like her, but the way she always had to be good at EVERYTHING was absolutely _infuriating! _Besides, the Avalonian girl had practically been raised by royalty; a coarse, nasty Dragonspyrian was below her, and naturally she'd hate me. I rolled my eyes at the thought.

-V-

While we waited for class to begin, I read the sign next to a Necromancy shield hanging on the wall. Above it was a pair of large athames, and under it was a plaque that read "Mortem Omnibus Vorat."

"That means 'Death Devours All,'" Malistaire said, coming up behind me. "It is the motto of the famous Necromancer Mortis Starblade, who found the seed of our very own Death Tree in the world of Darkmoor. He brought it back here and planted it outside of this very School."

"Did those things belong to him?" I asked, pointing to the shield. My dad nodded. "He was an especially skilled crafter of weapons and armor, and he made those himself. They've hung on this wall for nearly 400 years."

"How old _was _that guy?" I asked in shock. Malistaire grinned.

"The most powerful wizards live much longer than most humans, Alex. The Headmaster is living proof of that. Mortis was approximately 500 years old." A bell rang, drowning out anything else he might have said, and I quickly took my seat as Malistaire returned to his desk. "Welcome to Novice Necromancy," he announced. "If you are faint of heart, I suggest you leave now; the magic of the dead takes courage and skill to master." No one moved an inch. "Very well." He snapped his fingers, and the door to the School slammed shut. "I will be frank with you all: Necromancy is considered the darkest School of magic for a reason. I can see that there is only one non-Necromancer here; that is not surprising." He glanced at a girl dressed in fiery red, and I frowned.

_A Pyromancer._ I had recently discovered that my blood father had fled Dragonspyre- and was currently teaching Fire magic at Ravenwood. I had been livid when I'd found out that he'd abandoned his child in favor of teaching the children of others … let's just say that we hadn't parted well after we spoke in front of the Pyromancy School.

"...and while I am sure you will all do well, Necromancy requires hard work. I expect that you will put in effort to succeed," Malistaire finished, picking up a sheet of paper from his desk. "Now, when I call your name, please respond with 'Here' or 'Present.' Alura Nightspear?"

"Here," the Pyromancer called.

"Alexandra Firesong?" He glanced towards me before going on to the next name. "Heat Shadowsword?" I twisted in my seat to see where Heat was: sitting next to Malorn Ashthorn, a boy I had heard of but didn't know well. As roll call went on, I doodled idly on the cover of my notebook, sketching the Death symbol over and over again. I'd done some reading after finding out my School (and Heat's.) I had spent hours in the library the day before, looking up everything I could find on Necromancy. The library, which was easily my favorite place in Wizard City, had held dozens of books on the School, and I'd found that a certain symbol needed to be drawn in order to cast a Death spell. It was inked onto my hands in black Sharpie, and it was also drawn several times in my notebook. I turned my hand over and quickly drew the complex and intricate sign on my wrist. I was bound and determined to be the first to master the Death symbol.

A moment later, Malistaire called the final name (Duncan Grimwater) he announced that we were going to have partners for Novice Necromancy. Despite the School's largely solitary aspect, working with other wizards was a very important skill, my father had said. Everyone quickly rushed to find a partner they'd be willing to work with for the entire year. I looked around, but all the others seemed to have found someone. Heat was working with Malorn (of course she'd already found a partner.)

"Well, Alex, it would seem that you are the odd one out," Malistaire noted, glancing at his attendance sheet. "There are 29 students in this class … I suppose you'll have to make a group of-" A loud knock interrupted him, and the door swung open. A frog stood just outside.

"Hello, Professor Drake!" He announced in a cheerful tone.

"Professor Balestrom. What is so urgent that you must interrupt my class?" Malistaire asked in irritation, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm sorry to bother you! Come on, then, don't be shy." The frog glanced behind him, and a black haired boy dressed in red and orange stepped into the Death School. "This is Evan Starblade, and he has requested a Secondary School transfer from Storm to Death. Would that be acceptable, Professor?" My dad nodded.

"That would actually work out quite nicely; you see, Alexandra doesn't have a partner yet, and there's an odd number of students in this class. Evan, you may work with her." The boy, "Evan," followed Malistaire's gaze to where I was seated, and he gave me a small smile and a nod. I nodded back, although I didn't smile. If his robe colors told me anything, he was a Pyromancer, and I wouldn't trust a Pyromancer unless he gave me a reason to.

"Nice to meet you, Alexandra," Evan murmured, taking the seat next to me. I noted with surprise that he had a fairly heavy Dragonspyrian accent.

"Nice to meet you, too. Call me Alex," I whispered back, moving my backpack so there was room for him to set his own down.

"Poor guy; he's gotta work with _her," _someone whispered. I spun around and immediately located the speaker: Duncan Grimwater. _Of course. _I shot him a nasty look before turning back around in my seat.

"You and your partner will be receiving a Dark Sprite card momentarily," Malistaire announced, waving his staff. The small black card appeared on my desk, and I leaned over to study it carefully. "Please take out your wands. You will all be practicing drawing the Death Symbol today, and once your Symbol solidifies, you may practice casting Dark Sprite. There are ten bonus points on next week's test for whoever casts the spell first. You may begin." I mentally went over the steps for casting a Necromancy spell. _Focus on your inner strength. Clear your mind and concentrate. Draw your power out of your core and project it through your wand. _I breathed in, and then I breathed out. I pointed my wand straight out in front of me, and as the tip of the blackened unicorn horn began to glow an eerie silver-white color, I slowly and carefully traced the symbol I'd practiced so many times before. I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes for a moment, but when I did, the Symbol was glowing in front of me- not a wispy, smokelike and quavering sign, like several of the others had conjured up, but a Death Symbol that glowed boldly in the air, staring me dead in the eye and waiting for use. I blinked, but then thought through the next step: _Tap your card of choice and force all of your Necromantic strength into it. _I slowly picked up the Dark Sprite card and tapped it. The card and my wand seemed to become one, and with a flash of gray light and a shower of black sparks, a creature hopped from the card.

"What do you want?" The tiny sprite asked, lounging up against my hand and raising an eyebrow.

"Uh …" I didn't remember hearing about the spells _speaking. _

"Oh, I gotcha. This is your first time casting a spell, innit?" She smirked. "The name's Lunetta. Nice to meetcha, Alex Firesong." She disappeared with a pop, and it was only then that I realized something strange: the entire classroom was dead silent. I looked around. No one else had managed to cast the spell- but of course, Heat's Necromancy symbol was gleaming in front of her. I shot the prissy Avalonian a dirty look before turning back around in my seat. I had still cast the spell first. _Take that, Heat! _


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: B- 'Ello ducklings! So, here's the next chapter of our ever so lovely colab :3 Anyways, enough of my blabbering, here's the responses to your lovely and mucho appreciado (that's Spanish for ya XD) reviews! **__Yay for Spanish! xD Me gusta hablar Español mucho :3_

_**DawnShadowQueen: XD I started laughing my butt off when I saw how Firestorm made her speak…. "innit" XD (I'm so weird) **__Yes. Yes she is. (In a good way ;) )_

_**Lewascan2: **__You're not kidding O_o When I was writing Destiny, I actually didn't portray her as a competitive person at all, but in a later chapter of Journey (chapter 50, actually :P) I'm showing a little more of that side of her- it involves how she and Luke met, which was while dueling for the Warlord title :3_

_**Melissa daughter of Hecate: I completely agree with you! Heat was a complete Mary-Sue when I made her and I absolutely HATE her character (you can even ask Firestorm; I won't shut up about it **_'_Tis true__**) Alex is WAY better. I've worked out a plan though to *hopefully* redeem her character AND my story ;)**_

_**Bloodanddarkroses: **__Why, thank you! :) :) Our next chapter is right here XD I have no idea how long it will take me to write the next one, but I'll try to finish it as quickly as I can :3_

_**Ammaarah01**__**: **__Alex: *Does a dance* (Kidding; she doesn't dance :P) Rivalry is always fun :D X)_

_**ENJOY!**_

**-Heat Shadowsword-**

When I saw Alex cast the Dark Fairy, I couldn't help but feel a little envious. Even so I smiled politely gave her an approving nod when she looked at me, just as I had been raised to do. Alex gave a sort of scowl and turned away from me. I frowned. _What was it gonna take to get this girl to like me? It seems like she wishes I weren't even around!_

"Heat?" I flinched as I heard Malorn's voice, and surprised I noticed the Necromancy symbol in front of me was gleaming more brightly than before, pulsing with dark energy. It took me a moment to realize I was angry, and my anger was feeding the magic. I forced myself to relax, taking a few deep breaths. Not once had I been angry, or at least, not that I could remember. I glanced over to see Malistaire looking at me inquiringly, his hands folded in front of him. He looked to be observing me, and with a gulp I realized I still had a spell to perform. I shakily took my wand, and once again I had to force myself to relax. _Relax, Heat. You may be no typical Necromancer, but you've got what it takes. _I held my breath as I tapped the spell card. A silvery-gray light sparked briefly for a moment - a more blinding and powerful light than Alex's - which surprised me so much I started to shake again. Like with Alex's spell, the sprite seemed to hop out of the card, only this time a black mist trailed slightly behind it before fading away. The little creature looked surprised.

"You're a new wizard, ain't ya?" The sprite asked, a look of confusion spread across its face. I nodded, dumbfounded. Shouldn't my spell have been the exact same as Alex's? The fairy, who had settled down at the edge of the desk, smiled cheekily. "You certainly are a powerful one, huh? Name's Everstone, by the way. Nice to meet ya masta Shadowsword." And with that Everstone was gone, and I was left staring at empty space in shock. I felt Malorn's hand rest on my shoulder. That was when I realized I was trembling uncontrollably. I could still feel left over Necromatic energy from the spell, chilling me to the bone yet feeling so..._normal. _

It took another moment for me to realize that, like with Alex, the room was dead silent. I glanced over at my cousin, who was staring at me with eyes sharp as flint. I knew I had just outdone her, and I wasn't sure I liked it. My uncle on the other hand looked impressed, and when the silence presumed he ordered everyone to keep working. I helped Malorn with his spell while keeping one eye on the rest of the students. Alura was the next to cast the spell, though that wasn't much of a surprise. Pyromancer or not she was probably the most adept student in the school. At least that's how it was in pre-magic. The next ones to accomplish the spell were Malorn and Duncan. My partner achieved it after a few times practice and explanation, and with Duncan, well, he was just a natural Necromancer attitude-wise.

By the end of class most of the students had casted the spell. When the bell rang I quickly shoved my journal in my bag, along with my new card, and flung it over my shoulder. Malorn had already packed up five minutes early and was waiting for me. "What's your secondary class?"

"Sorcery." I felt a surge of excitement. I loved learning about the different schools back in pre-magic and Arthur - _Professor Wethersfield_ - was one of my favorite people to talk to. Malorn smiled.

"Nice! I have Storm next. I'll go ahead and walk you to class if you like?"

"Sounds good." I smiled and began to follow him out, but the sound of Malistaire's deep voice calling my name forced me to stop in my tracks. Malorn glanced behind him and gave me a comforting half smile before walking out. I shivered. _Did I do something wrong? _Feeling terrified I walked slowly over to my uncle. I was relieved Alex had already left to her next class. She couldn't insult me if she wasn't here.

"Heat," He began, folding his hands in front of him in a way that reminded me much of Cyrus. "That was some impressive work today." I sighed in relief, relaxing my shoulders. He was just telling me about how well I did. _I'm not in trouble_. "You seemed a bit on edge though. Tell me, after you casted your spell did you feel any left over energy?"

"Yes." I murmured, shifting awkwardly. While it had died down a bit, the energy was still there, lingering in my muscles and veins in a sickeningly chilly way. Malistaire nodded in understanding.

"That explains why you were trembling. Any naturally powerful wizard often feels that leftover energy their first time, and Necromancy - next to Thaumaturgy of course - is the coldest. You're naturally gifted in the magical arts, Heat. It'll be important for you to control your emotions and use all the energy you build up when you're about to cast the spell. It'll be draining at first, but over time you'll get used to it."

I nodded in understanding, taking every word in. _It'll be important. _"Did Alura feel the same thing do you think? I always thought she was the most adept student in school. Is she naturally powerful too?"

"Yes, but she was raised in Grizzleheim and was taught at an early age about the effects."

"Oh…" Malistaire gave a small smile.

"It's nothing to be afraid of, Heat."

"Yes, but Alex won't like it if I always perform better…"

"Yes, well," Malistaire stood up from his seat. "Sylvia and I might have an answer to that little problem. We want you and Cyrus to come over for dinner so the two of you can work out your differences. Cyrus has already agreed to it."

I squirmed uncomfortably at the thought of being so close to my hateful cousin. I was ready to ask more questions, questions about Alex, but the five minute bell rang, and with a jolt I realized I needed to get to Sorcery. Malistaire waved me away and turned to the blackboard. I nodded in quick farewell and burst out the room, quickly weaving around scurrying students toward the entrance to Bartleby, where a few students were sitting on the soft grasses in front of Arthur. I shifted uncomfortably. I didn't know any of these kids; none of them had went to pre-magic school with me. I guessed my discomfort showed more than I knew because as soon as Arthur saw me he gave me a comforting smile. The final bell rang, and the Professor settled down in front of his students, glancing at me and patting the ground beside him. I scurried over, relieved there wouldn't be any awkward introductions. Well, not yet anyways. _Of course, this will probably lead to the 'teachers pet' deal. _

"Hello students! My name is Arthur Wethersfield, and I'll be your Sorcery instructor until you've reached a high enough rank to study at Krokotopia." I barely listened to his introduction. I had spent many days with the Marleybonian whenever Cyrus wanted me out of the house and Rosie was…"unavailable". He went on to explain what Sorcery, the school of Balance, was about. Again, I had heard this all before. Because I had so badly wanted Sorcery to be my main school I spent most of my spare time in school learning all about the Magic of Balance. It was among the oldest of magics, binding all the main schools together. The energy a wizard felt when casting a spell was a blend of all of them, like a pool filled with different chemicals and gasses. That's how I always imagined it at least. The thought was both exciting and utterly terrifying.

Arthur then continued to call out the names of the students. I scanned their faces as he did so, putting names to faces to the best of my ability. Thankfully there weren't many students in the class, though I guess that was to be expected. Sorcery was, after all, the most difficult school to learn next to Astral magic. _Let's see… the girl with the long brown hair and deep purple eyes is named Melissa...lime-green haired girl is Jinx...boy with strawberry-blond hair is Justin...boy with white hair and orange eyes is Jenkins...his sister - pale blue hair with bright red tips- is Cosmic…and the girl with the dark blue hair and eyes is nicknamed Dreamy… _I smiled. Girls outnumbered boys.

"Now, as you've probably learned in your first class, you will need to find a partner to work with. Group work is essential to any wizard's survival. Though…" he glanced over his attendance sheet, frowning. "We have an odd number of students." _Of course, _I thought, squirming uncomfortably. _And this time Halston won't come to the rescue. There'll be a group of three, for sure. _

"Everyone, go ahead and pair up with who you'd like to work with and get to know each other better." Naturally the two boys got together. Later in the year girls would be nothing but drama, and they were smart enough to realize that. Melissa and Dreamy got together, both smiling like they already knew each other. Jinx just sort of shifted awkwardly, and Cosmic kept her gaze locked on the ground. Of course it had to be the girls with the odd hair and eyes who would make the group of three. Arthur laid a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Cosmic, Jinx and Heat, you three will work together if that's alright with you?" Jinz shrugged and Cosmic just sort of glanced up, and for the first time I saw her eyes: one was sky blue, and the other was blood red. Arthur gently nudged me forward, and reluctantly I settled down beside the two girls. Arthur, after seeing we were all sitting quietly, told us to get to know each other for the next couple of minutes as he prepared for the first spell.

"Well, then," Jinx was the first in our group to speak. Her voice was very thick and raspy. I almost wanted to say she was from Dragonspyre, but it also had a melodic Celestian to it as well as coarse Grizzleheimien. I gave up trying to figure out where she was from. "What's your guy's main schools?"

"I'm a Necromancer," I told her. A look of surprise crossed Jinx's face.

"Really? Ain't you a Drake kid? I thought Cyrus woulda had you a Conjurer or somethin'."

"He wanted me to, but he's not super persistent." I shrugged. Yes, he _had _wanted me to be a Conjurer, but I knew he could use a little break from my and Rosie's antics. "What about you, Jinx? What's your main school?"

"I'mma Theurgist. An no, it ain't cause of the hair." She ran a hand through her short bright-green bob, gray eyes dancing with the light of challenge. I smiled and nudged her.

"Since when were schools decided because of hair color?" I asked, receiving a playful eyeroll in response. I turned over to Cosmic, who was still looking at the ground. "What about you, Cosmic? What school are you?"

"C-conjuration…" There was no mistaking her accent: Avalonian. It also explained her shyness a bit. I remembered when I was little my parents raised me to speak only when spoken to, and it was likely Cosmic had come from the same background. I smiled at her.

"Cyrus is my adoptive father. He might seem intimidating at first, but he likes quiet Avalonian girls, just as long as they don't cause trouble." Jinx glanced at me curiously.

"How'd you know she's a Avalonian?" She asked.

"Because I'm from the same background. I grew up in Avalon before Malistaire and Ambrose found me and brought me here." I smiled encouragingly to Cosmic. "It's okay to talk a bit more, Coz."

"But...my parents always said it was rude to talk unless spoken too..."

"I wouldn't worry 'bout that here," Jinx snorted. "No one 'cept for Cyrus and Arthur are proper in these parts, n' not even them are _that _bad.."

"Jinx's right," I rested a hand on her shoulder. "It took me a long time to get used to the fact that things don't always have a set of rules to them, especially when it came to talking. What nobility are you from?"

"I'm a Spritecaster." Cosmic seemed to relax a little, looking at me fully and taking a deep breath. Cosmic had an almost angelic beauty to her, her different eye colors and sharp hair color contrast making her both mysterious and breathtakingly stunning. I tried to recall who the Spritecasters were. Every noble class family knew each other, whether it was from wide-spread popularity, some secret organization, or a book that had been read.

"The Spritecasters are the ones who have a long line of powerful Diviners and inventors, right?" I asked. Cosmic nodded.

"Divination is my secondary school."

"Really? That's my third class!" Jinx smiled and winked at the shy Avalonian. "You gon' have it afta lunch?" When Cosmic nodded her smile broadened, sharp canine teeth sparking in the sunlight. "We can go togetha if ya like?"

"I'd like that." Cosmic murmured quietly, taking a deep breath and relaxing even further. I glanced over at Jinx.

"You can take three main schools for your first year?" Jinx blushed.

"Really is' a mix up. I was supposed ta take a journalism class, but crane-guy messed it up 'n I was put in third-class Divination." She frowned and shook her head before changing the subject. "What 'bout you guys? You gon' take a third class?"

"I have pre- Astral after lunch." I told her, smiling. Astral magics always interested me, though they weren't my strongest subject.

"I'm taking an inventors class this evening." Cosmic's voice was steadily becoming a louder, more normal tone. "He's testing it out starting this year. I wanted to see if I can become the first female in my family to become a famous inventor."

Jinx and I opened our mouths to respond, but the sound of Arthur clearing his throat forced us to close them again. The humanoid dog had pulled out a small stack of cards and was ready to begin class. He lifted one hand over them and slowly they began to rise, making their way to each person. I tried to remember how to send a chuchoter. _Think the thought, remember his name, memorize his face, and focus on the Magician's mind. _

"_Quit showing off!" _Arthur glanced over at me, surprised, then let out a little chuchoter was a success. I smiled as I grabbed the card from midair. On it was a brown beetle: a Scarab card. Jinx's face twisted into a disgusted look, her tongue sticking out and her nose scrunched up. Cosmic just looked at it curiously.

"Now class, the way you cast a Sorcery spell is a bit different of other schools. Keep in mind Sorcery is the school that binds everything together. The magicka you feel when you're about to cast is a blend of all other energies. It'll be important for you to use up _all _of that energy, otherwise either I or your partner will have to draw out any excess magicka, and that can be quite draining."

I grimaced, remembering how Malistaire had said naturally powerful wizards need to be extra careful about stuff like that. I frowned and took out my wand and notebook, flipping to a page that had a well-detailed Sorcery sign on it. I moved my wand out in front of me and slowly traced the sign. I felt the magic energy rise in me. It was just as Arthur had said; every kind of magical energy seemed to surge through me. I shivered at all the different feelings, the burns and the chills, the warmth and the cold. I took a deep breath and focused all of the energy into the sign. I closed my eyes, making sure every drop of magical energy went into the spell. When I opened them again, the Sorcery symbol was glistening a bright orange-red glow in front of me. I smiled. There was still some energy left, but that was for the the next part.

I tapped the spell-card with my wand, this time feeling much more confident, and all remaining traces of magic flowed into it. A warm orange light lit up briefly, and a large brown Scarab slowly crawled out of the card. I knew Scarabs were among one of the few creatures unable to speak, but they were still intelligent. It looked at me, made a soft clicking sound, dipped its head and slowly faded away. I sighed, relieved that the spell had gone better than in Necromancy. I glanced over around the class. No one else even had their symbol up.

"'Course you'd get it first…" Jinx muttered, though her tone was more friendly than jealous. There was a small pile of ash at her feet, telling me there was a mistake somewhere in her sign. Cosmic was glancing over at my notebook, running a finger along the edges as she tried to memorize the sign. I helped them both to the best of my ability, telling them what points in the symbol needed the the most magic. By the end of class Jinx was the only one unable to perform the spell. She scowled in annoyance as the dismissal bell rang.

"Why can't I get it?" She snorted as she angrily shoved her leafy wand into her bag.

"Arthur has weekend tutoring if you want to go." I offered, slinging my pack over my shoulder. "I used to go to him whenever Cyrus got sick of me."

Jinx snorted and didn't respond as we made our way over to the Commons. Cosmic rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't let it get you down. Most of them could hardly be considered spells!" That much was true. A lot of the other Scarabs produced in class were small and weak. Some were even faded. Jenkins and Melissa both needed Arthur to come and absorb some of their leftover magic. Jinx snorted.

"Least they cast the spell. I couln't even get the dang sign right!" I frowned as I thought of reasons Jinx was unable to cast the spell. _Maybe it's because she's not magically adept…? _I shoved the thought aside. I watched as Jinx and Cosmic both made their way to Olde Town, where they were going to look find their future apprentice robes. As for me I turned around and made my way toward the Shopping District. I still had pre-astral I needed to prepare for, not to mention there was still the little "family dinner" at Malistaire's I had to survive.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **__Sorry this chapter took me so long, guys O_o Thanks for your patience! _

_**B -Sweet Firestorm took her precious time on this one, and it's wonderful X3**_

_Le replies to le awesome, patient reviewers:_

_Bloodanddarkroses: I'll think about it :P _

_Lewascan2: Yes. Yes she is. I certainly hope Alex can find her special skill soon … :P_

_I know, right? There are a couple of plot devices I can't wait to use in the Firesong Saga that started in this story xD __**I can't wait to see that myself XD **_

_Ammaarah: __**You're telling Alex not to hate Heat? HA! Her own writer (me) hates her (I swear she's such a Sue and I despise her so much. Why continue with her? I have...plans. O_o) I don't blame Alex for hating her x3 **_

_**ENJOY!**_

I was fuming. Of course Heat had to show me up. Of course she did! The arrogant, overachieving little brat couldn't be bothered letting me have one little victory- no, naturally she had to go and cast a Dark Sprite that was twice as powerful as mine was. Pah. Next thing we knew, she'd be casting criticals at journeyman rank. I was absolutely livid as I stormed out of the classroom and headed for the Commons. My Novice Thaumaturgy class didn't start until next period, so I was going to go read in the library.

I could usually find solace in the massive library. The well-lit, warm atmosphere and towering shelves full of books gave me a kind of comfort that little else could. I smiled as I stepped into the nearly empty library.

"Good morning, Miss Firesong!" I turned. It was the head librarian, Harold Argleston. I gave the dog a small smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Argleston. I have that book for you; I finished it last night." I quickly pulled the tome from my backpack and passed it to the librarian over the counter.

"Well, that certainly was fast; thank you for returning this so promptly." I laughed and headed towards my favorite corner of the library. None of the square tables were occupied, thankfully; later in the year, the library would be filled with students rushing to finish last-minute projects and homework assignments. For now, though, I had the place to myself.

Since there was no homework for Novice Necromancy, I selected another book off the shelves, took a seat and got lost in the myths of Grizzleheim.

-V-

When it was time for Novice Thaumaturgy to begin, I quickly checked out my book and hurried back towards Ravenwood. As I neared the School of Ice, I eyed the falling snow suspiciously. Although I had lived in Wizard City for three years, I had rarely ever seen snow; it was completely foreign to someone like me, who had grown up in the fiery world of Dragonspyre. In my opinion, anything that fell from the sky was unnatural and should not be trusted. No rain, no snow, and _definitely _no burning rocks of doom.

A girl was standing just outside the building, fidgeting anxiously and flipping through her notebook. The first thing I noticed about her was that somehow, she'd managed to keep her white robes completely clean (If my robes were white, they'd be dirty in ten minutes.) The second thing I noticed was that her pigtails, which stuck out from the sides of her head, were bright, vibrant, cobalt blue. I couldn't help staring, and before I could look away, the girl glanced up from her notebook and noticed me.

"Before you ask, this _is _natural; I have no idea why, but it seems that blue hair runs in my family," she informed me matter-of-factly, shoving her owlish blue glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. "I haven't gotten a chance to do any research on it yet; I'm planning to do that this weekend," she mused.

"Um …"

"Oh! Oops … sorry; my mom says that I go off on tangents a lot …" she blushed furiously. "Er, I'm Erica Bluestone. What's your name?"

"Uh- Alexandra Firesong. Call me Alex," I added, shaking her outstretched hand. "You're a Thaumaturge, I'm guessing?"

"Mm-hm!" Erica beamed. "And you must be a Necromancer!"

"Is it that obvious?" I replied, grinning wryly at my pitch black and blood red robes. Erica giggled.

"We'd better get inside- you _do _have Ice as a Secondary, right?"

"Yeah."

"The second bell's going to ring soon, and we can't be late!" the Thaumaturge fretted, shifting her notebook to her other arm and shoving open the door. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." I wasn't sure yet, but it seemed like I had just made my first female friend.

-V-

Professor Lydia Greyrose was practically the opposite of Malistaire Drake- for one thing, she was a pudgy little fairy. She taught with enthusiasm and spoke rapidly- often too quickly for the rest of us to keep up with her. Professor Greyrose would notice our blank expressions, blush and call an apology before continuing only slightly slower.

Erica, who sat next to me, was furiously taking notes. It looked like she was writing down every word that the professor said. I wrote down a few of the more important sounding details in a bulleted list and waited for Professor Greyrose to finish her lecture. Who gave lectures on the first day of class, for goodness sake?

"Wonderful job, everyone! It is now time to practice your first Thaumaturgy spell," the fairy announced, clapping her hands. Erica sat up straighter as a card appeared on each desk. I picked it up and inspected it.

"Frost beetle, huh?" I frowned before picking up my wand. "Erica, is casting an Ice spell any different than casting a Death spell?" She shrugged.

"I dunno. Death isn't my secondary. I know that it's way different from how you cast a Balance spell, though; I had that class last period." My frown deepened. Heat's secondary School was Balance, too…

"Did you meet a girl named Heat Shadowsword?" I asked her. Erica thought for a moment, and then she nodded.

"I think I remember her. She's that Necromancer, right? The really young one?" My scowl darkened.

"Yeah. The child genius, Ravenwood's prodigy, Cyrus Drake's little Avalonian darling who has perfect manners- oh, and she just so happens to be the best at everything she tries." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh … I'm guessing the two of you don't get along very well?"

"No," I replied shortly.

"Ladies, please attempt the spell, at least! Never, ever give up!" Professor Greyrose scolded gently, fluttering towards us. Erica blushed bright red and stammered a few apologies. She snatched up her wand and inspected the card for a moment. The blue-haired girl inhaled sharply, glaring at the spell in front of her, and when she pointed her wand out in front of her, a brilliant blue light shot from the crystal at the point. A thick, icy field appeared on the floor in front of her, and a translucent blue beetle hopped out from underneath it. Erica grinned triumphantly. I focused on my own card after watching my friend's beetle dance around for a moment. I inhaled, and then I exhaled- but all that emerged from my wand's tip was a faint blue smoke. I frowned.

"What did I do wrong?" I asked, turning to Erica.

"Well, what were you thinking of when you cast it?"

"I- uh- I guess I wasn't really thinking at all. You're not supposed to think when you cast a Death spell; you have to focus on your inner magic." The Thaumaturge shook her head.

"That's not how Ice magic works. Death sounds like the basis is focus and a lack of emotion. Ice runs on old grudges and hatred, if you'll believe it."

"What do _you _think about?" I asked, almost afraid to find out. Erica simply reached under the neckline of her robe and withdrew a circular locket. She flipped it open to show me the two photographs inside it. One showed a happy looking couple who were embracing; the other showed a snow-covered building. I raised an eyebrow.

"My parents never believed that I could succeed- I was awful in pre-magic school. Straight D's for most of my time there, and I only just managed to pass fifth grade. That's the school right there." She indicated the photo of the building. "I keep these pictures with me to remind me of all the names I got called in school and all the stuff my parents said to me. As long as I hold on to those memories, I'll be able to cast Ice spells."

"Oh."

"Miss Bluestone, you are correct- hatred and grudges are one very powerful source of Thaumaturgy," a voice sounded from behind us. I turned. The professor was hovering near my right ear. "It is not just negative feelings that power one's Ice magic, however- any feelings that you have held on to will work. I think of my sister, for instance. The two of us have a very powerful bond of love that has lasted for decades. I draw upon those long-lasting memories when casting a Thaumaturgy spell." The fairy gave us a warm smile. "I suggest you try both methods before deciding which one works the best for you- and that goes for all students," she called.

-V-

Thaumaturgy didn't come naturally to me, the way Necromancy had seemed to, but after learning the correct way to cast an Ice spell, I began to do better. I still couldn't cast the frost beetle by the end of the class period, but my Ice symbol was becoming stronger and brighter.

"_It's the fire in your blood, dear," _Professor Greyrose had informed me. "_I know of the Firesongs; you have a very powerful line of Pyromancer ancestry. Thaumaturgy will take much effort for you to learn, but keep practicing and I am sure that you will get it."_ I mused over her words as I headed towards the Death School, where I would wait until Malistaire had time to bring me home. Fire in my blood, huh? It seemed that my ancestry just kept coming back to bite me. I'd just work ten times harder, then, and I'd master Thaumaturgy. I definitely had a few old grudges that I could use to my advantage; it would just take a lot of practice.

When I arrived at the Death School, the class of Adept Necromancers was just beginning. I settled myself into a back corner desk and began drawing the Ice symbol over and over again; I was determined to cast the Frost Beetle before my next Thaumaturgy class.

A poster on the bulletin board caught my eye as I was finishing up my tenth Ice symbol, and I moved closer to see it a little more clearly. The poster depicted a green dragon with a wizard in purple on its back. _Join Mount Riding Club _was written over the dragon. _Any wizard is welcome, regardless of level. You will learn to ride a variety of different mounts and to care for living creatures properly. _It sounded interesting, and so I took one of the flyers that was hanging beside the poster. I'd have to remember to ask Malistaire and Sylvia about it later. For now, though, my Frost Beetle was calling my name.

-V-

"We're doing what now?" I grumbled, as I trailed after Malistaire.

"Cyrus and Heat are coming over for dinner tonight, and we are all going to have a civilized conversation," he repeated. I frowned darkly. Yeah, right. Heat would probably just go on about how amazing she was doing in all of her classes, while I got to discuss being showed up in Necromancy and my failures in Thaumaturgy. It was even more important for me to master the Frost Beetle now … I couldn't let Heat be the only one to succeed in her Secondary School. Maybe I could bring up the Mount Riding Club at dinner. It would distract Sylvia and Malistaire from gushing with Cyrus about how amazing Heat was- at least I hoped so.

"Can I sit between you and Mom, at least?" I asked.

"I'll think about it." While he thought about it, I thought about my two classes. I pulled a Sharpie from my backpack and drew a couple of Ice symbols on my forearm, and then added a Death symbol to each fingernail on my left hand.

"Don't write on yourself, Alex. What do you think Cyrus will say if he sees that?"

"He'll talk about how Heat _always _has clean hands and _never _does anything as uncivilized as writing on herself," I muttered, turning away from him. If Malistaire heard, he didn't respond.

When we got home, I immediately headed to the backyard. My adoptive parents had installed a practice space a few weeks before, "So Alex can practice magic without destroying her bedroom." I pulled my wand out of my backpack and removed my new Frost Beetle card from my pocket. _Old feelings- grief and anger work, but happiness will do as well._ I figured that I would try anger first. I pictured my father's face and remembered the disdainful note he had left me, "explaining" why he was abandoning me in Dragonspyre. As it always did, the rage bubbled up inside me, and I all but growled at the card as I pointed my wand out in front of me, channeled my anger through the end- and was rewarded with a much clearer blue light. It still didn't have the brightness of Erica's Ice Symbol, but it was good enough to cast the Frost Beetle. I grinned proudly as the beetle appeared in front of me and danced, but my grin faded as I heard Sylvia calling me inside. I had successfully cast the spell, but now I had a family dinner to survive.


End file.
